Scott Diamond pulled in the awards for the Twins top rookie and the Twins best pitcher. (Photo Courtesy of opposingviews.com)
Every year the Minnesota Twins hand out the Diamond Awards–annual awards for the team. The awards are based on voting conducted by the Twin Cities Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. The actual awards will be handed out on January 24, 2013 at Target Field in conjunction with a fund raiser to benefit brain, nerve and muscle disorder research at the U of M. Without further ado, here are your award winners:
Most Valuable Twin- Josh Willingham
Outfielder Josh Willingham was easily selected as the winner of the Calvin R. Griffith Award for the Most Valuable player. Willingham batted .260 (135-for-519) with 30 doubles, 35 home runs and 110 RBI in 145 games. He became just the second Twin with over 35 home runs and over 100 RBI in one season, joininng Harmon Killebrew with that distinction, who amazingly reached that plateau nine times in his career.
Pitcher of the Year, Most Outstanding Rookie- Scott Diamond
Left-handed pitcher Scott Diamond wins the Joseph W. Haynes Award. He went 12-9, 3.54 (173.0 IP, 68 ER) with 90 strikeouts and 31 walks in 27 starts. He also won the award for the Most Outstanding Rookie. Diamond is the eighth Twins rookie to record 12 victories. There will be a lot of hopes and expectations next year for him to stabilize a portion of the Twins shoddy rotation.
Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year- Ben Revere
Outfielder Ben Revere was named the Most Improved Player and the recipient of the Charles O. Johnson Award. He also was selected to receive the first ever Jim Kaat Defensive Player of the Year Award. Revere batted .294 (150-for-511) with 13 doubles, 70 runs scored and 40 stolen bases in 124 games. The 24-year old did not commit an error in 282 total chances in the outfield.
Upper Midwest Player of the Year- Joe Mauer
No surprise here. For the fifth time in his career, Joe Mauer wins Dick Siebert Award given to the Upper Midwest Player of the Year. Mauer also won the award in ’06, ‘08, ‘09, and ‘10. He had an impressive bounce back year after much of the Minnesota fan base questioned his commitment and mercilessly booed him. Mauer batted .319 (174-for-545) with 31 doubles, 10 home runs, 85 RBI and 90 walks, while playing in a career-high 147 games.
Bob Allison Award- Justin Morneau
Justin Morneau wins the Bob Allison Award for the second time in his career. The award is given to the Twins player who exemplifies determination, hustle, tenacity, competitive spirit and leadership both on and off the field. Morneau and his wife Krista are active in many off-field charitable events throughout the season, including Justin Morneau Casino Night, which raises money for the Arthritis Foundation.
Mike Augustin Award- Glen Perkins
Left-handed pitcher Glen Perkins was selected the winner of the Mike Augustin Award, which is given to the Twins player who fosters healthy relations with the media. This award seems like an award that few people would be proud to win, but congratulations Mr. Perkins.
Twitter
Facebook